Advancing new pathways in neurorehabilitation, Kun-Ze Lee of NSYSU receives the Young Scholar Innovation Award
2026-02-02
To encourage outstanding young scholars in Taiwan to move beyond traditional frameworks and pursue long-term, in-depth research, the Foundation for the Advancement of Outstanding Scholarship (FAOS) established the Young Scholar Innovation Award. Distinguished Professor Kun-Ze Lee of the Department of Biological Sciences at National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU) was recognized for his outstanding achievements in spinal cord injury research, with the award presented by Academia Sinica President James C. Liao. By integrating respiratory signals with spinal magnetic stimulation, Dr. Lee's research pioneers a new non-invasive approach to neurorehabilitation, offering hope for restoring respiratory function in patients with spinal cord injuries.
The award-winning project, titled "Therapeutic efficacy and mechanism of respiration triggered spinal magnetic stimulation on neurorespiratory function after cervical spinal cord injury," is based on preclinical animal injury models. Using respiratory signal–triggered spinal magnetic stimulation, the study investigates its potential therapeutic efficacy and underlying mechanisms in promoting respiratory recovery following cervical spinal cord injury. This non-invasive stimulation approach shows strong clinical potential and may be applied in future rehabilitation therapies, offering a novel treatment option for spinal cord injury patients with respiratory impairment.
In addition, the project has received joint support from National Science and Technology Council in Taiwan and the French National Research Agency (ANR), and has been included in an international collaborative research program spanning 2026-2028, highlighting the global impact and the innovative vision of the NSYSU research team.
Dr. Kun-Ze Lee noted that this award not only affirms the originality and achievements of his research but also marks an important milestone in advancing international collaboration and neurorehabilitation studies. He expressed hope to further expand his research horizons by integrating interdisciplinary technologies, thereby offering renewed hope and improved quality of life to patients with spinal cord injuries.
Distinguished Professor Kun-Ze Lee has long focused on physiological research. He previously served as the Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences at NSYSU and currently serves as the President of the Chinese Physiological Society. His research expertise spans neural, respiratory, and cardiovascular physiology, and he is dedicated to advancing interdisciplinary biomedical research and neurorehabilitation technologies. NSYSU noted that Professor Lee is the first scholar from the university to receive this honor, underscoring NSYSU's strong foundation in life sciences research and fostering new innovative momentum into the academic community of southern Taiwan.
To encourage outstanding young scholars in Taiwan to move beyond traditional frameworks and pursue long-term, in-depth research, the Foundation for the Advancement of Outstanding Scholarship (FAOS) established the Young Scholar Innovation Award. Distinguished Professor Kun-Ze Lee of the Department of Biological Sciences at National Sun Yat-sen University (NSYSU) was recognized for his outstanding achievements in spinal cord injury research, with the award presented by Academia Sinica President James C. Liao. By integrating respiratory signals with spinal magnetic stimulation, Dr. Lee's research pioneers a new non-invasive approach to neurorehabilitation, offering hope for restoring respiratory function in patients with spinal cord injuries.
The award-winning project, titled "Therapeutic efficacy and mechanism of respiration triggered spinal magnetic stimulation on neurorespiratory function after cervical spinal cord injury," is based on preclinical animal injury models. Using respiratory signal–triggered spinal magnetic stimulation, the study investigates its potential therapeutic efficacy and underlying mechanisms in promoting respiratory recovery following cervical spinal cord injury. This non-invasive stimulation approach shows strong clinical potential and may be applied in future rehabilitation therapies, offering a novel treatment option for spinal cord injury patients with respiratory impairment.
In addition, the project has received joint support from National Science and Technology Council in Taiwan and the French National Research Agency (ANR), and has been included in an international collaborative research program spanning 2026-2028, highlighting the global impact and the innovative vision of the NSYSU research team.
Dr. Kun-Ze Lee noted that this award not only affirms the originality and achievements of his research but also marks an important milestone in advancing international collaboration and neurorehabilitation studies. He expressed hope to further expand his research horizons by integrating interdisciplinary technologies, thereby offering renewed hope and improved quality of life to patients with spinal cord injuries.
Distinguished Professor Kun-Ze Lee has long focused on physiological research. He previously served as the Chair of the Department of Biological Sciences at NSYSU and currently serves as the President of the Chinese Physiological Society. His research expertise spans neural, respiratory, and cardiovascular physiology, and he is dedicated to advancing interdisciplinary biomedical research and neurorehabilitation technologies. NSYSU noted that Professor Lee is the first scholar from the university to receive this honor, underscoring NSYSU's strong foundation in life sciences research and fostering new innovative momentum into the academic community of southern Taiwan.
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